World’s First Heads Up Display eBook Reader Press Release

World’s first eBook HUD offers a humorous reminder of the growing problem of smartphone injuries

Help your loved ones stay safe this year with the world’s first eBook HUD safety display. The top selling MegaReader iPhone ebook reader app now not only gives instant access to almost two million free eBooks, but also introduces Walk n’Read Heads Up Display technology which lets users avoid hazards while they walk and read.

Portland, OR January 20, 2011 — Inkstone Software today announces the launch of a revolutionary new safety feature for its popular MegaReader iPhone eBook reader. Walk n’Read HUD is the first ebook reader which uses the iPhone’s rear facing camera to let you read books and documents on the move while staying aware of hazardous obstacles in your path.

Recent newspaper reports from around the world have graphically illustrated the dangers of walking while browsing your smartphone. A New York Times article last year highlighted the fact that more than 1000 pedestrians a year end up in hospital because of accidents which happen while they use their phones on the move.

“One of our users recently pointed out to us the risks you take when you walk and read”, confirms Inkstone CEO Patrick Thompson, “So we decided there and then that we would be the first company in the world to introduce a Heads Up Display screen, so people could rest easy knowing their loved ones were safe on the streets”.

Inkstone intends to roll out the revolutionary Walk n’Read HUD technology to all of its product line over the coming months, and the company hopes that this will pioneer a more caring attitude towards safety issues by the global smartphone development community as a whole.

“If we can help save one young person from risk of serious damage or worse, then I will be happy,” says Thompson, “There are too many hazards in this world as it is without adding the dangers of walking and reading to the list.”

Inkstone has also released a short guide for people who regularly walk and read, in the hopes that safe reading will become a byword across the nation.

Before going out on the street, practice reading safely while strolling around your own home. Feel free to hum.

Keep your phone at a safe distance from your face, to avoid unsightly secondary impact lesions in the event of an unfortunate accident.

Even while using Walk n’Read HUD, keep your peripheral vision alert at all times. You never know when danger might strike from an angle!

Walk a little slower than you usually do, to maximize your evasive reaction time.

Loitering cats, especially black, usually mean trouble. Be prepared.

Never attempt to pilot a high speed vehicle, or bicycle, while using Walk n’Read HUD.

Never read while crossing a road, fast flowing river or other unpredictably tricky obstacle.

MegaReader with Walk n’Read HUD, access to 1.8 million free books and a preloaded selection of 26 free classic ebooks, is available for $1.99 from the App Store. Screenshots and more information are available on the MegaReader website at www.megareader.net. The Walk n’Read feature is only available on devices with cameras and those running iOS 4.0 or later.

Please note, our lawyers suffered a total sense of humor meltdown when they saw our new campaign, and threatened to resign immediately unless we told you all that this announcement is meant to be firmly ‘tongue-in-cheek’. We do not guarantee that you will come to no harm while using MegaReader or your mobile device, and we specifically disclaim any liability for your use of the program or your mobile device in any way. We do not recommend that you walk and read, drive and read, climb and read or perform any other potentially dangerous or illegal activity while using MegaReader or your mobile device, and any such uses are entirely at your own risk. Please read responsibly.

About Inkstone Software:
Based in Portland, Oregon, Inkstone Software is an independent software development company founded by Patrick Thompson. Combining a strong blend of design and development skills, Inkstone’s passion is to craft elegant, easy-to-use applications for mobile devices. Inkstone Software is also the maker of the popular QuickReader app – the top-selling speed reading app on the iTunes app store. Combining proven speed reading technology with the books and content that readers enjoy, QuickReader is available through the iTunes App Store and is also available in a free Lite edition, a Young Readers’ edition, and French, German and Spanish versions.